NHIAA Football: Latimore, Pinkerton roll over Londonderry

By ROGER BROWNNew Hampshire Union LeaderSeptember 29. 2013 1:08AMDERRY - Pinkerton Academy of Derry opened its season with a loss to Bedford, but the Astros have been building momentum since then.

Pinkerton extended its Division I winning streak to three games by beating rival Londonderry, 35-14, Saturday night as part of Mack Plaque weekend.

Pinkerton fed Londonderry a heavy dose of senior running back Manny Latimore, who scored three touchdowns in the victory. Latimore rushed for two first-half touchdowns, and returned the second half kickoff 95 yards for his third TD.

"We've stabilized the quarterback position," Pinkerton coach Brian O'Reilly said. "We've settled on Jack (Hanaway). We made a couple changes in our offensive personnel after the Bedford game that has solidified our blocking, and our young kids are getting better all the time.

"Defensively, our secondary has come along and doing a nice job."

The Astros received a rushing touchdown from fullback Matt Madden, and one from Hanaway. The Astros led 7-0 after one quarter, 14-0 at halftime and 28-7 entering the fourth.

Pinkerton has also beaten Manchester Central and Salem during its current winning streak. Londonderry, which was 2-0 at one point, dropped to 2-2.

After Latimore's kickoff return helped Pinkerton build a 21-0 lead, Londonderry answered when Jon Young scored on a 75-yard run with 11:22 to play in the third.

Pinkerton regained a 21-point lead when Madden crashed into the end zone from 2 yards away and Kyle Cantalupo added the point-after kick with 3:46 remaining in the third.

After Londonderry made it 28-14 on a 9-yard TD pass from quarterback Aaron Gaudet to Eric Fairweather and Justin Olin's PAT with 6:57 to play, Pinkerton answered on a 14-yard TD run by Hanaway with 2:07 left.

The game featured teams that were both in this week's Union Leader/WGIR/WMUR Power Poll. Pinkerton was No. 5, and Londonderry was part of a three-way tie at No. 10.

Things won't get any easier for the Lancers next weekend, when they will play at unbeaten Concord (4-0). Pinkerton can extend its winning streak to four games when it plays at Manchester Memorial (1-3) on Saturday.